News Release - Mayor Richards, Council President Warren Announce ‘NY FreshConnect Checks’ Available at the Public Market

City of Rochester

News Release

Program brings farm fresh food to city families

(Thursday, Oct. 10, 2013) – Mayor Thomas S. Richards and City Council President Lovely A. Warren joined members of the Friends of the Rochester Public Market (FOM) today to announce that New York’s FreshConnect Checks are now available at the Rochester Public Market, which means food-stamp eligible families now have increased access to fresh, healthy foods grown on New York farms.

“These FreshConnect Checks will go a long way toward helping city families enjoy the agricultural bounty of our local farmers,” said Mayor Richards. “I want to thank the New York State Department of Agriculture for making these funds available. And the Friends of the Rochester Public Market for helping us manage this program. You are helping us give our residents a tool to help break the cycle of poverty through the benefits of proper nutrition.”

“When people have ready access to affordable, healthful foods they are more likely to make healthy food choices,” said Maureen Murphy, President of the FOM board, which manages the Market’s nutritional assistance programs. “That results in healthier families and increased sales for local farmers.”

The FOM manages the Market’s distribution of federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) by making it possible to redeem food-stamp benefits for $1 Market Tokens. Now customers who buy $5 worth of Market Tokens through their food stamp benefits will receive an additional $2 in FreshConnect Checks, while funding is available.

The FreshConnect checks are a component of the state Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Connect Farmers’ Markets program, which assists New York farmers by increasing the sale of locally grown food while improving nutrition for underserved families.

For more information, visit www.cityofrochester.gov/publicmarket or call the Market office at (585) 428-6907. To learn about the FOM, visit www.marketfriends.com.